In pursuit of its youth programme, Athletics Malta, with the backing of Kunsill Malti għall-Isport (KMS) and parents of promising children who distinguished themselves during the just concluded season, is taking part at the European Kids Athletics Games in Brno, Czech Republic.

Now in its ninth year and attracting 1,400 children aged 10 to 15, the Games offer youngsters on the threshold of making their debut among senior peers, an early sense of identity with their country.

For the likes of Nicole Attard Glivau, Catriona Cuschieri, Edward Bezzina and Miguel Grixti, to name just four of the athletes who travelled to Brno, this is following on in the footsteps of other athletes who left their mark at senior level, notably Nicole Gatt, Steve Camilleri, Rebecca Sare and the Xuereb twins, Martina and Francesca, so successful in earlier editions.

With all children competing in their own age category, this week’s competition is the perfect gauge to assess the progress achieved by Maltese youngsters, aid the coaches in their preparations and to enable Athletics Malta to plan ahead with the KMS and the Maltese Olympic Committee in the light of the various international commitments falling each year.

The contingent, led by Athletics Malta vice president Mauro Pace Parascandolo, includes Liam Mckay, Haley Buttigieg, Stefano Pace Parascandolo, Luke Scicluna, Ian Pace, Michak Pavia, Miriam Gauci, twins Jacob and Omar Elaida Chaffey, Matthew Portelli, Bezzina, Grixti, Cuschieri and Attard Glivau.

Anthony Fava is the other official with the group in Brno.